Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1887-09-09
A FOrcible Reason.

lawyer naVlng an extensive legal practlce,
as we'll as considerable of statesman and
man of affairs. The fact that he has add
ed his opinion to that of other leading
members OF the bar of the State in regard
to the existing necessity of constitution
al revision is in itself important. The
position he occupies as a leading repre-
sentative of the intelligence and respecta-
bility of his party goes further to show
that the inGrmities OF the present cons'i-
tuition and the necessity of convention
to remodel it, are rot visible only from
the Democratic point of observation, but
is generally recognized by the leaders OF
public opinion in the State.
The reason assigned by Mr.. McComas
for the einopportuneness of the present time
for the calling of a convention is generally
regarded as the merest political buncombe,
and was probably intended to be so re-
garded by him. But when carefully con-
sidered it will appear to sound judging
public opinion as forcible reason bear
ing upon the question of constitutional
convention. But Eot in the direction in
tended or pretended by Mr. McComas-
On the other hand It will be recognized
as an all important reason why conven-
tion should be held now when its control
by the Democratic party is assured, if any
convention in the near future will be nec-
essary at all. Such necessity being con-
ceded, the Importance of the present time
for the reasons pointed out become
manifest.
Any one who recalls the high handed
action of the Maryland Republicans in
ies4, when the Infamous document known
as the constitution OF that year, was fraud,
uIen'Iy Ioisted upon The psop'e, VIII not
be willing to entrust the welfare of the
people to the teuder mercies of the same
bad men again. At that time the result
of the civil war was definitely foresbadow-
ed and the status of Maryland as loyal
State, together with the pending negotia-
tions on the part of the Federal govern
ment left no room to doubt that the slave
property in Maryland would be emanci.
pated by the government with full COM
pensation to the owners. Perceiving this,
the bad men who then dominated and
who still dominate the Republican party
of Maryland, conceived the iniquitous and
malevolent scheme of forestalling such
just action on the part of the Federal gov
ernment by fraudulent abolition OF slav.
cry under the form of pretended State
constitution and the prohibition of all
compensation. With this bad end in
view, scheme was .hatched by this junto
of bold, bad men, whereby the best citi-
zens of the State were disfranchised and
deprived of the right to vote upon the
proposed constitution. In this way the
Infamous document was, upon the votes
of a decided minority of the qualified
voters and many of them fraudulently
taken, decided to be the organic law of
the State. And while they were at their
bad work they did not content themselves
with the accomplishment of their main
purpose but went on and by series of
corrupt jobs depleted the State treasury
and dissipated the sinking funds about
which we have heard so much talk in re-
cent years.
As an example of the bad, the unscru-
pulous and the revolutionary in constitu-
tion making and in the high handed dis
regard of the rights Of the people in the
method of its adoption, the so-called con-
stitution of 1864 stands without prece-
dent or parallel in the political history
of this, or of any other country. AS an
evidence of the character of the document
the Republicans then gave us for consti-
tuition and the method proposed for its
adoption, it may be stated that DR.. Will
mer, our local Republican leader of these
times, though life long abolitionist and
Republican, could not fad it in his con-
science to vote for it. As q further and
more conclusive evidence of the character
of the outrage, the spantaneity and earn
es'ness with which the people of Mary
land rose up in 1867, only two years after
it went into effect, and repudiated its
every part, may be considered
1t isssafe then to assume that the peo-
pie of the State will guard carefully against
entrusting their sacred liberties again to
the care of the bad men who so deeply
and deliberately wronged them in 1867
If convention is to be held at all, and
all the. better judging people of the State
seem to concede the necessity of it, let it
be held at once. There is scarcely doubt
that the people will decide the question
in the affirmative at the election this fall |
Saturday was the Last day of the six mon tbs
during which the governmen Mt redeemed trade !